Pick up your lingui-sticks!

Fresh off a Portuguese language course in Lisbon, I just had to blog about the topic.

And that got me reading this article:

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/learn-a-new-language-holidays-with-english-off-the-menu-8711649.html

Now I’m not here to endorse any of the holiday packages listed in the article.  However, I would like to echo some of the merits of taking a language course in the local country:

* Accelerated learning - even one week of a language course equates to three months of language classes at home

* Teaching by a native qualified language instructor - classes are taught in the local language, so you expose yourself to the exact pronunciation.  You also receive useful tips in the local customs.

* Meeting new friends - most students in the class are in the same position as you. Together, you can explore the city, have a meal or take part in a local cultural activity.

* Combining languages with holiday activities - have your classes in the morning, and do your sight-seeing, surfing, siesta or flamenco show in the afternoon and evening.  Most schools offer some sort of extra-curricular activity.  If that’s not for you, you can always look up a local wine-tasting session, a cookery class or a dance lesson.

* Interacting with the locals - this is possibly the most rewarding experience about the language course.  You will impress the locals no end by using your noggin more than your phrase book.

So when you book your next holiday, pick up your lingui-sticks and make it a language course!

Language skills shortage - Quelle surprise!

The following BBC article, “Foreign languages ‘shortfall’ for business”, features a survey carried out by the Confederation of British Industry,.  For me, the main points that stood out were:

1) The UK's education system has failed to produce language skills to meet employers’ growing demands

2) Two-thirds of surveyed firms prefer workers with language skills

The first point has widely been acknowledged.  You can only point to the number of overseas workers who have filled vacancies requiring a second language. However, employers should recognise that there is a lead time of up to 15 years, between investment in language education and when these benefits will be realised in the workplace. 

On the second point, I am encouraged to see the high percentage of employers who value language skills.  Remember in my previous article, employers were crying out for “technical, oral communication or literacy skills”. It seems almost too obvious that language learning encompasses and develops all these skills through listening and speaking, reading and writing.  Languages should therefore be taken as seriously as English, Maths and Science in the curriculum. 

I am more upbeat than the CBI’s assessment about the future of language learning.  There are already encouraging signs in the increased number of students taking languages at GCSE level. In addition, the compulsory age to learn a foreign language has reduced from 11 to 7 and this should also have a positive effect in the future. 

But for now, employers cannot afford to wait another 10-15 years to tap into future talents.  The opportunities in emerging markets are happening NOW and if employers want to capitalise, they will have to invest more NOW in language training for their staff.

El proyecto SmileUrbo [Smilemundo.org]

Hace poco tiempo, hice una traducción voluntaria en el proyecto “SmileUrbo” que organiza el organismo Smilemundo.org.

SmileUrbo es un juego interactivo y promueve la cooperación entre ciudadanos que se encuentran en situaciones de la vida real. Por ejemplo, se aprende gestionar los presupuestos de una ciudad.

El texto original era muy distinto de todo lo que había visto.

Traduje el documento por partes, según las "rondas" o "niveles" de los juegos, a diferencia de textos o artículos más típicos.

Empecé de verdad la traducción en etapas. Respiré el texto, me metí en la piel del urbanista, y me puse a trabajar.

Para más información sobre el proyecto de SmileUrbo, echale un vistazo aquí:

http://www.smilemundo.org/es/Blog/Smile-Urbo-obtiene-la-subvencion-de-la-Diputacion-de-Barcelona

En el próximo sitio, encontrarás más información sobre esta organización sin fines de lucro haciendo que este mundo sea un mejor lugar:

http://smilemundo.org/es

The SmileUrbo project [Smilemundo.org]

A few people have asked me whether it is worth carrying out voluntary translations and I say it's a definite yes!    Especially starting out, it is a great way of expanding one's portfolio and gaining recognition for your work. And remember: a voluntary translation does not mean a low quality translation.

I recently worked on a translation of the award-winning project, "SmileUrbo", led by Smilemundo.org. It is an interactive, role-playing game which aims to build cooperation between people by creating scenarios faced by real-life communities, such as how to manage a town's budget.

The Spanish source text was different to any other I had already translated. I had to translate the document in sections, according to different rounds of the game, rather than the usual article with continuous prose. However - the approach wasn't any different - "live the text", get into the shoes of a town planner and then translate!

For more info about the SmileUrbo project, please click on the link:

http://www.smilemundo.org/Blog/Our-new-gaming-project-won-1st-place-in-the-Education-and-Awareness-Building-for-Development-contest

And please also read more on the not-for-profit which funds projects which make the world a better place :

http://www.smilemundo.org/

"The case for language learning" - or not?

I was just reading the Guardian article entitled "The case for language learning"

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/30/employers-struggle-to-fill-vacancies-languages

The article cites a recent survey (http://www.ukces.org.uk/ourwork/employer-skills-survey) in which language skills are less sought-after by UK employers than other skills such as technical, oral communication or literacy skills. However, there still is a shortage and this does need to be addressed.

In my professional career, staff from other departments have approached me countless times as the in-house language expert, when translating business correspondence. Indeed I have enjoyed helping out, though when I am not around staff either use an online language translator or if absolutely necessary, a human translator.

Later on in the report, increased operating costs and outsourced work are listed, among others as the impact of skills shortages.

So while I would love to see language skills feature higher on the agenda, it appears that there is an opportunity for external translators like me to pick up this business and benefit from the language skills shortage.

http://www.neelangues.com

Good evening all,

A couple of months in the making, welcome to the long-awaited launch of my new web site:

http://www.neelangues.com

Many thanks to all who have helped me in the creative process!

Best wishes,
Neelangues

You tube if you want to...

Travelling through Germany, I happened across this sign in the hotel bathroom.

Can you spot the mistake?

While I confess that I am a stickler for good spelling and grammar, I am more understanding if the final message is clear enough.   However, I would point out an error if it leads to a different meaning or if it's just plain nonsense.

So I followed the sign to the letter and I placed my towel "in the bath-tube" (or technically speaking, on the shower tube).

I politely pointed this out at the reception as a helpful suggestion and added, "By the way, I'm a translator. Here are my contact details - you never know when you might need one."
The receptionist seemed slightly bemused, laughing nervously but thankful.

And who knows, while a business deal would be a plus, I feel that I have helped the English-speaking hotel guest with that first-world problem of where to put the used bath towel if it needs to be washed.